Here in the Jardin, numerous spectacles ethnologiques—essentially human zoos—were staged, which directly contributed to the deaths of many performers from colonized territories. Today, there are still lingering traces of exoticism that contribute to a seemingly happy, family-oriented atmosphere.

The design was based on the idea of “degeneration”—an idea that rendered the place unique in origin and perhaps much more “beautifully mysterious” than many other botanical gardens, yet later dangerously entertwined with blatant racism and colonialism.